


Spite, Pride, Regret

by thecattydddy



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), captain america: civil war - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Spoilers, Endangerment of Children, Gen, Guilt, Peter Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-14
Updated: 2016-09-14
Packaged: 2018-08-15 01:00:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8036134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thecattydddy/pseuds/thecattydddy
Summary: Tony had recruited Peter as a jab at the not-so-good Captain, but when things go wrong on the field, Tony begins to see how stupid of an idea it'd really been.





	Spite, Pride, Regret

**Author's Note:**

> I'm gonna work on a chapter for The Itsy Bitsy Spider, so I decided to warm up to that a little with this. As always, comments ad constructive criticism is appreciated!

Tony knew the moment he’d first thought it, from the very moment he’d even _conceived_ the idea, that it was going to be out of spite. He knew that it was a mistake and that he was only doing it to _show him_ , but Tony was hurt. He was notorious for making bad decisions when he was hurt. It was a lovable quirk of his.

He’d caught a ride downstate and promptly dragged his way through Queens, knowing the whole time that it was a mistake and not _caring_ because he was just so _angry_. If _Steve Rogers_ can rip children from their homes and draft them for a war they had no place in fighting, then _Tony Stark_ could do it too. He’d go the next step, even. Steve had taken Wanda, a young girl by their standards, but Tony could show him just what he’d done. Could show him just how _heartless_ that Steve had made them both by starting this whole conflict. If Wanda Maximoff was a child, then Peter Parker would be an _infant_ in their eyes.

Tony Stark in all his hurt, broken anger would drag a baby into a battlefield if it meant proving Steve was in the wrong.

Of course, the moment Peter had walked in his front door, Tony had gotten one good look at him and the reminder that this was a mistake made itself known, loud reminders blaring in his mind, but it was too late to turn back now. His pride was too high to slink away and leave without what – Without _who_ – he’d come for.

Peter had been hesitant, unsure, _scared_ maybe. Scared for his aunt and for the implications of what working alongside the Avengers really meant. Tony had looked into a child’s eye, had seen the hesitance there and had told himself it would be okay. Had told _Peter_ it would be okay.

And, as he got back into his car, the teenage vigilante sitting anxiously beside him, Tony managed to convince himself it would be. Peter was a strong kid with a good heart and a smart head on his shoulders. They had a strong team behind them and there would probably not even be a reason for the kid to really get involved in the fighting in the first place. He’d send around a memo to keep an eye on the webslinger. Peter was just a message… A jab at the Captain for being so desperate to drag Wanda into this war. If he wanted children fighting on the battle field, _Tony could give him children._

And, once they were out there, fighting the good fight and he caught a glance of Peter doing his best, giving his anxious little quips and being nothing short of a pain in the Captain’s side, his own internal pride turned instead to pride in the boy. He’d underestimated just how much this little guy could do – Just what _Spider-Man_ was capable of.

Tony had found a smart, funny, powerful _hero_ and he was _proud_ of it. Peter, this amazing little boy with a heart of gold was following him on a limb of faith and Tony couldn’t have been happier with the snot if he’d been his own son.

Actually, Tony probably would have _freaked_ if his son was doing something like this, but that wasn’t a worry he had to think about, thankfully. And, even if the kid only seemed to make himself seem younger with everything that came out of his mouth, he was still so _clever_ and could appreciate a good Star Wars reference, as if the punk couldn’t get any better.

And then, Tony’s heart froze when Peter’s voice was suddenly cut off, only for the kid to go flying through the air at full force, backhanded like a pesky insect, there was a moment there when the billionaire wondered if he’d stopped breathing. Even before Peter hit the ground all that Tony could think of was how much he _regretted_ bringing the boy along.

The way the kid struggled when Tony landed at his side, his actions suggesting that he was blindly lashing out in panic, Tony’s whole person fell cold. Peter was terrified and even if it faded completely when the kid realized who it was holding him down, it’d still been there. It’d still been there and it’d been Tony’s _fault_. This was yet another reminder why they needed the Accords. Why there needed to be regulation. The UN would never have brought this boy out into the field and Tony had just done it because he could.

Because he wanted to prove a point.

Peter tried to fight Tony’s insistence that he stay down, trying to push himself back up and the billionaire was not afraid to admit he resorted to cheap tactics to make the other listen. Peter’s wide, hurt eyes when he threatened to call his aunt had gotten to him a bit, but not a much as seeing the webslinger take another hit would have. He stayed down and Tony couldn’t have been more relieved when no one tried to target him, again. The unspoken rule that Peter wasn’t to be bothered had reached everyone and Tony sought comfort from that, at least.

Maybe his opposition wasn’t _completely_ heartless, yet. Not that he’d really thought that in the first place, but it never hurt to be reminded.

And then, the whole ordeal with Rhodey and Tony had ended up in the hospital after that, Tony pasted to his best friend’s side until the nurses had kicked him to the waiting room. The moment he’d walked in, he’d spotted a head of unruly brown hair, his eyes narrowing as he approached the kid.

“I thought I told you to go home,” Tony growled, a cup of coffee in one hand. He probably could have used something stronger, given the situation, but this hospital didn’t exactly have a bar attached. Peter looked up at him as he approached, guilty and far more than he should have been just for not taking a plane like he’d supposed to. Tony furrowed his brow, watching the kid’s face. “What’s the matter?”

Peter was quiet a moment, his hands settled in his lap and even when he spoke he couldn’t quite meet the other’s eye. “I, uh… I didn’t want to leave without apologizing first, Mr. Stark.”

Tony was only more confused by this, one eyebrow moving into his hairline as he tried to comprehend what Peter had to apologize for. If anything, Tony should probably be the one saying he was sorry. “What?”

“I just… I’m sorry that I messed up. I mean, I didn’t really know if I was cut out for the big leagues, but I really wanted to make a good impression and I tried my best. It’s not really an excuse, I don’t want it to be that, it’s just...” And the kid was rambling, which Tony was beginning to notice he did when he was anxious or scared… And he’d been going on and on since he first got on the field, no doubt dealing with a million and one thoughts that should not have been his in the first place.

“Peter, shh,” Tony took the hard metal chair next to him, causing the kid to sputter off with whatever he was saying. “Why in god’s name do you think you have anything to apologize for?”

“Well, you seemed really upset when I got knocked down,” Peter was looking only at his lap at this point. “I could have gotten back up, Sir, but-”

“Kid,” Tony shook his head, “I wasn’t upset because you took a hit.”

“Really?” Peter blinked up at him, confused. “Then why did you-”

“I realized I shouldn’t have brought you out here. This was… It was selfish of me to endanger you like that,” Tony sighed, pulling his coffee a little closer to his body like a shield. “I should be the one apologizing, not you.”

“What, Mr. Stark, no!” Peter quickly interjected, waving his hands around to dispel that thought. “It wasn’t selfish of you at all! I made the decision to come. Anything that happened was on me, not you.”

“Peter, that’s sweet, but when we’re out in the field, the actions of our team is my responsibility,” Tony explained, not able to meet Peter’s wide, concerned eyes. “And even beyond that, I had no right to ask you to join me. You’re still a minor and that was too much for you to take on. You shouldn’t have to feel responsible for anything at you age, but learning how to drive and doing homework.”

Peter was quiet a moment, his hands fidgeting as he tried to think of the right way to answer. He seemed to reach it finally because he spoke. “Back… Back when I first got these abilities, Sir… I didn’t use them really wisely. I kinda… I only really thought about myself and how I could use them to help me. My uncle didn’t know, but he used to tell me all the time that… _With great power comes great responsibility_. It wasn’t until I was out one night after a fight with him about it that I sort of got that. He’d come after me and there was a robbery nearby and I just sort of let it happen. I could have stopped it, but… But I _didn’t_ and… And then, I guess Uncle Ben was there and he… He...”

Tony had fallen silent, as Peter told his story, watching the boy try to bite down the obvious tears threatening to come out of him. The injury was still raw, still something that both his aunt and he was probably still suffering through, and the poor kid thought that it was on him. Tony watched a little helplessly as Peter wrapped his arms around himself and tried to hide how much he was shaking. It was painful to watch, exponentiated by the fact Tony saw too much of himself for a brief moment.

“So, anyways,” Peter continued through a broken voice, “The point is that… It doesn’t matter if I’m still a minor, Mr. Stark. I have these abilities and it’s my responsibility to do what I can to make things right so that no one else ends up like my uncle or ends up alone like my aunt. I was kinda freaked out by you showing up out of nowhere, but I really… I’m glad you brought me along. It was something my uncle would have wanted me to do… So thanks for that.”

 _God, this kid is too fucking perfect_. Tony lifted his hand and ruffled up the kid’s hair, making it stick out in various directions. There was something about fighting a team of your former friends and then thinking your kid teammate had died that just seemed to bring people closer. He still regretted bringing Peter, that was a feeling that would not quickly fade, but he had a certain fondness for the boy by now. It was nice, that Peter was here and was safe and could tell him as much when not even a couple rooms away his best friend was in a hospital bed because of him.

“Peter,” Tony said. “You need to go home. Your aunt’s going to be worried sick about you.”

“I know, Sir,” Peter muttered, “I just… I just wanted to make sure we were cool before I got on a plane and you never spoke to me, again.”

Tony gave a soft chuckle. “Yes, Peter. We’re cool. And this won’t be the last time we get in touch. You’re a really clever kid. I can always use people like you in my corner.”

“Really?” Peter clarified, thrilled by the idea of working with the man, again, in the future.

“Yeah, really.” Tony patted his shoulder and stood up, pulling his cellphone out of his pocket. “I’ll have Pepper get you a ticket and some of my security guys can make sure you get there. No late night crime fighting stops in the city of Berlin, alright?”

Peter gave a small smile back at him, making a mock salute to finish the whole thing off. Tony was reminded briefly of when they’d been on the field and Peter had started talking to him, all excitedly, only to change his conversation to Steve when Tony had all but cut him off. Really the kid was such a chatterbox sometimes. “Yessir!”

Peter saw himself out, no doubt headed downstairs to catch the ride Tony had arranged for him. The billionaire was set to wait until the doctor’s said he was able to head back in and talk to his friend. By the time Peter had disappeared out of sight, Tony finally remembered his coffee and he took a sip of it.

It was cold.


End file.
